Three of the nine Fresno State Undergraduate Deans' Medalists are Sanger grads

María Díaz,of Sanger, completed her B.S. in mathematics with a 3.93 GPA. She was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, where opportunities seemed unattainable and distant, she said. But her father, a rancher who delivered milk, envisioned more for her and moved the family to the United States where Díaz developed a passion for math and encourages others to love it, too. She served as president of the Fresno State Mathematics Club, for which she scheduled peer tutoring sessions and created fun activities to promote math. She helped young students develop math skills through Math Circle and Math Kangaroo programs and encouraged girls in middle and high school to pursue math through Fresno State’s annual Sonia Kovalevsky Day. Díaz also conducted research and presented at conferences nationwide. She plans to get her master’s degree and Ph.D. to become a math professor and help young female immigrants like herself. Her ultimate goal is to build a school in Guadalajara.

Cirenio Hisasaga, of Sanger, completed his B.S. in animal science and minor in Spanish with a 3.97 GPA. He spoke only Spanish until he started kindergarten and later decided to minor in it to hold onto his roots and to improve his Spanish-language communications. He became fascinated with animal science when he participated in the Future Farmers of America in high school. At Fresno State, Hisasaga worked in the Foster Farms Poultry Education and Research Facility, was a peer mentor for the Louis Strokes Alliance for Minority Participation, was a member of the Poultry Science Club and volunteered at the FFA Field Day poultry contest. He was in the Jordan College Honors Program and conducted research analyzing the quality of designer eggs in the market. Hisasaga wants to be a professor, teaching younger generations from diverse backgrounds about the importance of agriculture.

Primavera Leal Martinez, of Sanger, completed her B.A. in English with a 3.91 GPA in three years. Martinez is a champion of debate having received national recognition with the All-American Debater Award by the Cross-Examination Debate Association. She has also coached bilingual students in the Urban Debate Leagues. Martinez served as vice president of external affairs for the Associated Students, Inc., was a student representative on the Student Success Summit committee, a student representative for the College of Arts and Humanities, editor in chief of La Voz de Aztlán and a volunteer for Camp Kesem, a free camp for children affected by a parent’s cancer. She has also advocated for DACA students and migrant workers. Martinez plans to pursue a master’s degree in communication and coach the Fresno State Barking Bulldogs debate team before entering law school. Her goal is to become an immigration lawyer to advocate for those forgotten by the immigration system and who are most in need.

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